Contents vi ELECTION SECURITY IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING FOREWORD As long as there is complete adherence to the electoral laws and transparent processes, elections by universal suffrage is the major expression of democracy. However, following the news on elections, there are clear indications that there are hurdles to jump over in a lot of democracies, hence the urgency and importance of developing and employing security measures so as to prevent, contain or control factors that trigger disorder and violence during elections. A positive security measures will help in managing the effectiveness and neutrality of the security forces which includes preserving the integrity of elections, lives and properties and most importantly the democracy. The role of security forces and other agents is very important in elections. Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) is committed in their own way to securing the electoral process in an environment that in recent years has been hit with increased acts of violence and terrorism. Aside from the structural and organizational challenges inherent in the electoral process, this unfavorable environment condition contributes without doubt to the challenges faced by INEC in fulfilling its mission in Nigeria. ELECTION SECURITY IN NIGERIA: MATTERS ARISING vii